Test device



Febf, 1950 o. E. zuERcx-:ER 2,496,767

TEST DEVICE Filed June lO, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

vatenteclv Feb. 7,

`iUlNilTED STATES PATENT yc() FiF-ICE "2,496,767 @est ,Device y ofswinnzuereher, -Hatfielafra Appiie'etien Jine :110, 1947, "serialsbf title zclairls. (elise-118)` 1 This 'invention Lreie'tes )f1-,0eme Aflevleeey fend more .larticuialy to fa rnechanical apparatus for testing 'a persons 'knowledge and for grad- 'ihwg'the tests.

A mein meer cette inyeiitierlie "eegisevid'e a novel v'and iifiifd testlig'machine which fis Very vvsimple in "construction, 'easy to use and 'dee lp'en'dahlein operation.

A 'further object "f the invention is tn ijproe 'vide en "mere-ved tesuiig alparatue ferl testing a persls information and automatically scoring the nuniler of correct "answersjto a group of questions, said apparatusl 'heilig inexpensive'y to menu-facture, accurate in performance epe treT q'i'lirihg only a ininiiuh amount of rhahipulatin.

Further bjeet and advantages eftliejiriverln tion will become apparentlffromwthe(following description and clairhs, and vfrom the accompanying drawings, Whereinzy, *y l y Figure 1 is a perspective View of lf a quiz dei/ige constructed in accordance with the present in; 'Vention Figure 2 is a plan viewlpartly in ho'rizor'ltai crossesectiori, ofthe quizdexice of Figure 1. l

Figure t is a fragmentary cross-sectional View teken online ses f Pleure 29. e Figure 4 is a Vi'aelllfieritary crosssectiona1 View taken on inline 4154 ofFilgurA 2,

Figure 5 is e, fragment .ry piel@ viewer eeliil question sheet employed with the quiz device of Figure 1.

hinged at the rear bottoni edge', thereof to the` top edge of the rear Wall of the` `r`5 ody ofthe housing, as shown at f3, t3, A suitable Iock is provided at the' front' bottoni Cdgevo the cover for locking said oyery in closed(` position.'

Securedin the' housingkbody is a transverse partition |"5 and journalied'in the" lfeft endj Wall ef seid bbdy, .efe viewed' in Figure4 24 and ln the; partition I5 1s a longitudinal shaft r` 'r Shaft Itl carries secured theretoat'itsfleft nor on ajirst druln T' and' at itsV right portion a second drum' f8'. Dru'rn' vVl" is providedwith spacedpins [9;A question' shejt 2D" hyingnulnheredrquestioh' spaces, as s'hown'in Figurev 5l lmay he secured' tov drum |11 by`w`rappihg the sheet alrjmlndA the' drum andfehgagffg th 'nds' of the' she't with the pins I9 thi-Osughapitu'efs 2li' p'irvdedv atth sheet erid's, said ends being" ci by a c'lalrr'ip'gAA St'iflL 22 O eifdfmd with' 2 9k ,in erleeeementwth, th. afprementioned ratchet teeth., Bilpressing,hnehuter @mi of the lever 27 downwardly and then releasing said 011t-r er end the dog .29 ,and .the...spr,ine 31,. cause .the drum l 'i to,A rotate counterclockwisdas .viewed in Eigure 3, through an .arcOrrespOndng `to the distance between, successive ratchet .teeth .24. The vnumber of ratchet teeth ,24.iseq`uaLtoethe iiimber of question spaces on the questinshet Secured to the rightoipartition .l5 in the heus; ing body, as: viewed in Figure y2; is ahothervpartitiorl 32. Projecting inwardly -f'roinfthe ntermedate portol'i` of the front Wall 0i?A the housingr is e lug e3; Journeletl in" lug 3a .and peruun 32 iS a longitldirialfshaft 3'4 and sldabl'yfkeyd thereon adjeeerittne d'ra'misls erm ee; Roter; ably andl sidably seiidto :shaft SEV-arid straddlin'g arm 34 is" a .vn'iernher -35- having a forward extefle'iii ze which rj'e'ets th'rugle ho'rizontai s1ot'3'l frfned` in theiront Wall:k of the housing body. Drum IIE' sfor'Eme'd with a plurality arrows' of longitudinally spaced aberm'ree et, row ed ee oii'dirie to e; quet'ii spaceonjth' question sheety 236, there being the saine ni'llnherof r "is as Question Sejc'es.r The number of' es" each vfcorifesjporfl'ds to the number of silo'ie ans` ers that Inail be given to eachr c'f'estio'h', Remoiabie ne'g's 38' erefin'sertedgiii t'liefepertifes at locations' c'o';

clockwise until the peg moves upwardly past the arm.

Journaled in partition 32 and the right end wall of the housing, as viewed in Figure 2, is a longitudinal shaft 40, the shaft projecting through said right end wall and having secured thereto a knob 4|. Rotatably mounted on shaft 40 is a drum member 42 comprising a first drum element 43 carrying numerical indicia arranged in the same sequence around the element as the numbered question spaces on the question sheet 29 and a second drum element 44 whose periphery carries the same indicia as drum element 43 but in the form of raised reversed numerals for printing said numerals on a record sheet. At its left end, as viewed in Figure 2, drum member 42 carries a ratchet disc 45 whose teeth 46 are directed clockwise, as viewed in Figure 4. The number of teeth 46 is equal to the number of indicia on the drum elements 43 and 44 and hence to the number of questions on the question sheet 26. The periphery of ratchet disc 45 is engaged by a pawl member 41 which is pivotally secured at 48 to the end of a lever 49 carried by shaft 34. When shaft 34 is rotated clockwise in the manner above described, pawl member 41 causes ratchet disc 45 to be rotated counterclockwise through an arc corresponding t the distance between ratchet teeth 46. This rotates the drum member 42 through an arc corresponding to the distance between adjacent indicia carried thereon.

Pivotally secured to pawl member 41 at a slot 49 therein is a rod 5I] extending slidably through a guide block 59' secured to the front wall of the housing and through an aperture in said front wall and carrying at its outer end a knob I. When knob 5| is pulled outwardly, pawl member 41 is disengaged from the periphery of the ratchet wheel 45 so that the drum member 42 is freed therefrom.

At its right end, as viewed in Figure 2, drum member 42 carries a ratchet disc 52 whose teeth 53 are directed counter-clockwise as viewed in Figure 4. Secured to shaft 40 adjacent drum member 42 is a drum 54. Pivotally secured to the peripheral portion of drum 54 at 55 is a dog 56 which is biased by a spring 51 secured to drum 54 and bearing on said dog into ratchet engagement with the ratchet teeth 53 of disc 52. When knob 4I and shaft 40 are turned clockwise, as viewed in Figure 4, dog 56 drives drum element 42 in the same direction. In a counterclockwise direction of rotation of said knob and shaft, dog 56 cannot transmit torque to drum member 42. It is thus impossible to rotate drum member 42 counterclockwise except by means of the pawl member 41 when actuated as above explained by the rotation of shaft 34 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4.

The top panel of cover I2 is formed with an elongated longitudinal window 58 overlying the drum I1 and through which the question spaces of the question sheet 20 may be consecutively viewed as said drum is rotated in stepwise fashion by lever 21. At the right end portion of said top panel is a rst window 59 for viewing the topmost indicia numeral on drum element 43 and a second window 6U through which a printing impression may be obtained from the topmost raised printing numeral on drum element 44.

When the last question space is reached at the conclusion of a test the dog 29 will be in engagement with the last ratchet recess 6| at the periphery of ratchet disc 23. Further downward 4 manipulation of lever 21 will be ineffective to rotate drum I1 because of the blank portion 25 at the disc periphery. To reset the drum I1 to the starting position it is necessary to advance the drum l1 counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 3, with respect to dog 29 until the blank portion 25 has been moved upwardly past the dog. This is done automatically by a pawl 62 engaging the top of ratchet disc 23 and pivotally connected at 63 to the end of an arm 64 carried by a longitudinal shaft 65 journaled in an inwardly projecting lug 66 secured to the rear wall of housing I I and in the transverse partitions I5 and 32. A spring 61 connected to the arm 64 and the housing end wall biases said arm downwardly. At the right end of shaft 65, as viewed in Figure 2, is secured an arm 68 which projects toward drum element 43. Said drum element carries an outwardly projecting pin 69 engageable with arm 68' when the drum element is reversely rotated to its reset position. Since, as above explained, this can only be done by rotating knob 4| and shaft 49 clockwise, as viewed in Figure 4, pin 69 engages arm 68 from the underside of said arm and raises said arm, rotating the shaft 65 counterclockwise until the pin 69 moves upwardly past the engaged end of arm 69. The rotation of shaft 65 rotates arm 64 and moves pawl 62 forwardly over the toothed periphery of ratchet disc 23. When the pin 69 moves past the end of arm 68, shaft 65 is re leased and returned by spring 61 to its normal position. In returning to its normal position the pawl 62 rotates ratchet disc 23 counterclockwise through the necessary angle required to advance the disc with respect to dog 29 over the blank portion 25, resetting said dog in the starting notch of the ratchet disc 23.

In operation, a test sheet is secured to drum I1, as above described, the drum being in its starting position so that the rst question space will appear in the window 58 and the drum member 42 being likewise in starting position so that the zero indicia appear in windows 59 and 60. The front wall of housing Il is marked adjacent slot 31 with numbers corresponding to the choice of possible answers to the questions on the test sheet. Extension 36 is accordingly positioned by the person taking the test adjacent an answer numeral at slot 31 which he believes corresponds to the correct answer to the question appearing in the window 58. He then depresses the exposed end of lever 21, causing the drum I1 to be advanced one question space on question sheet 20. If the extension 36 is correctly positioned with respect to the rst question, arm 34 will be engaged by a peg 39 as the drum advances, causing shaft 34 to rotate and causing pawl member 41 to advance the drum member 42 in a corresponding manner. If the choice of the position of extension 36 was incorrect, arm 34' will not be engaged by a peg and no score will be registered at windows 59 and 60.

The above procedure is continued until all questions have been answered. The total score of correct answers will appear at window 59 and may be imprinted on a suitable score sheet by inking the raised numeral at window 60 and pressing the score sheet thereagainst. To reset the apparatus for the next person taking the test, knob 5I is pulled outwardly, disengaging pawl member 41 from ratchet disc 45 and knob 4| and Shaft 46 are then turned clockwise, as viewed in Figure 4, until the pin 69 on drum element 43 has moved upwardly, past the arm 68. At this point.

ues'tion diiimqll is in its starting position, as above explained.; and drum member 42 is likewise in starting position; Knob 5I is then moved inwardly to engage pawl member 41 with ratchet disc 45 and the test 'may be repeated.

I Whr th test duestions are changed, the pegs 39 may be removed and rplaced in other openings 38 corresponding to the c'rrect answers to the new questions.

While aspecic embodiment of a testing apparatus has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifica tions within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as deiined by the scope of the appended claims,

What is claimed is:

1. A quiz apparatus comprising a housing, first support means in said housing, a drum journaled in said rst support means, means for securing a test sheet to said drum, a plurality of pegs adjustably secured to the drum and projecting radially therefrom, means for rotating the drum step-by-step through successive position to a final position, corresponding to the successive and Iinal questions on the test sheet, a member pivotally secured to the housing adjacent the drum for rotation around an axis parallel to the drum axis, means for longitudinally adjusting said member so as to be aligned with and engageable by a peg responsive to the step-by-step rotation of the drum, second support means in said housing, a

Vrotary element carrying consecutively arranged numerical indicia at its periphery, means for rotating said rotary element through an angle ,corresponding to the space between adjacent indicia responsive to the engagement of said 6 member by a peg, manual means for reversing the rotary member to reset it to a starting position, and means for automatically resetting said drum from its iinal position to its starting position responsive to the reverse movement of the rotary member to its starting position, the movement or the drum from its final position to its starting position being in the same direction as its successive step-by-step movement.

2. ,A multi-question quiz apparatus, comprising a support, a pair of parallel shafts journaled in said support, a drum xed to one of said shafts, a counter operatively connected to the other shaft, said drum being formed with a circumE ferential series of longitudinally extending rows of longitudinally spaced sockets, each row correspending to a question, a correct answer designating peg insertable in an appropriate socket of each row, a combined answer selector and counter actuator rotatably slidable on said second-mentioned shaft for movement therealong to a selected answer designating position for each question, means for rotating said drum one step for each question, and a peg being engageable with Said counter actuator to actuate said counter one step whenever said answer selector is positioned to indicate a correct answer.

OSWIN E. ZUERCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATESr PATENTS Number Name Date 1,670,489 Pressey May 22, 1928 1,929,872 Lavery et al Oct. 10, 1933 

